"Florida oranges are so juicy that you have to eat them in the bathtub"
Oranges are widely grown in warm climates worldwide, and the flavours of oranges vary from sweet to sour. The fruit is commonly peeled and eaten fresh, or squeezed for its juice. It is also used in certain recipes as flavouring or a garnish. The outer-most layer of the rind can be grated or thinly to produce orange zest. Zest is popular in cooking because it has a strong flavour similar to the fleshy inner part of the orange. The white part of the rind, called the pericarp or albedo and including the pith, is a source of pectin and has nearly the same amount of vitamin C as the flesh.
The colour of an orange's skin is due to the temperature variations between the day and the night in its country of origin. Choose a brightly coloured orange, which is heavy and intact. Transport it with care, in spite of it looking robust, it can bruise easily.
Before using the zest, rinse the orange under water to remove of the light layer of protective wax. Keep for a few days at room temperature, along with other vegetables. Strain the juice for drinking, or grate the zest to add to other recipes.
Cook for marmalades, confit, or spicy chutneys.
The aromatic zest and its juice is an ideal replacement For lemon in a vinaigrette. It makes a delicious marinade, or an orange sauce. Add the zest to salads for a fresh zingy taste, or add the zest and juice to frosted crepes or tarts, sorbets and ice creams.
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